9118722, 629 AM Dally Cup of Cocoa Helps Prevent Flu
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THE EPOCH TIMES.
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FOOD AS MEDICINE
Daily Cup of Cocoa Helps Prevent Flu
BY GREENMEDINFO TIME JANUARYS,2022 PRINT
When the wintry flu season strikes do you crave a comforting cup of hot cocoa?
It could be your body's innate wisdom at work.
Nature works in mysterious ways. Just when cold, dry weather chills us to the
bone and flu season is in full bloom, we crave a comforting cup of hot cocoa. As
it tums out, that chocolate craving may be our body’s innate wisdom at work.
According to a Japanese study a daily cup of hot cocoa during influenza season
may be just what we need to avoid the flu and stay healthy.
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The Japanese researchers conducted a three-part chocolate study that included
cell tests, animal experiments, and human trials.
In the cell studies they found that cocoa extract inhibited the flu from taking
hold in canine kidney cells. The cells had been infected with human influenza A
(HIN1, H3N2) and B viruses, as well as avian flu viruses (HSN1, HSN9)
In the animal trial, mice were given cocoa extract for four days before being
infected with the flu virus. The cocoa extract had a preventative effect and
significantly improved survival times of the mice.
The daily dose of cocoa for the mice was equivalent to a human drinking two to
three cups of a 10% cocoa solution. In other words, the amounts were close to
what a person might normally drink in a cup of hot chocolate.
‘Then, the researchers tested their findings in humans. They divided 123 people
into two groups. Both groups were vaccinated against the influenza A (HINI)
virus.
For three weeks before and after being vaccinated, one group consumed a cup of
hot chocolate every morning. The drink is commercially available in Japan
(under the name Kakao 2 Bai) and contains 360 mg of cocoa polyphenols per
cup. The control group did not drink any cocoa.
After two weeks, antibodies against the A (HIN1) virus were not significantly
different between the two groups. But the cocoa drinking group had
significantly more natural killer (NK) cell activity. NK cells recognize and
eliminate influenza-virus-infected cells in order to keep the virus from
spreading.
In other words, NK cell activity is an indicator of the body's natural
immunity. Vaccine-induced elevations in antibodies, on the other, do not
necessarily equate to bona fide immunity against infection as they are only a
proxy measure of effectiveness. The fact that cocoa consumption significantly
increased compared to the control group suggests that drinking cocoa may
inhibit influenza virus infection by stimulating natural immunity and therefore
confer real world protection against onset of the flu.
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Other studies had already found that chocolate elevates NK cell activity against
cancer cells. The Japanese researchers believed their finding concerning the NK
cell activity may suggest that cocoa polyphenols and especially procyanidins in
chocolate might be effective in treating and preventing colorectal cancers and
hepatitis B virus infection in humans.
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| * a.
Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash
How Does Chocolate Work Against the Flu?
The researchers concluded that drinking cocoa works in three different ways.
First, it inhibits the virus from adsorbing to target cells, as shown in their cell
study.
Second, cocoa activates natural immunity. In their human trial they found that
cocoa enhanced the immune response from the flu vaccination. In that way it
provides stronger protection against influenza virus infection and disease onset.
Third, drinking hot cocoa has an anti-inflammatory effect. The researchers
believe that the increased survival rates of mice fed cocoa may have been due to
the elimination of virus-infected cells in the early stages and promotion of anti-
inflammatory effects at the inflammation site.
And there's one more interesting way that chocolate fights the flu
The researchers suggested that immediately after drinking cocoa, its healing
compounds are present in the mouth, pharynx, and throughout the digestive
tract at concentrations that inhibit infection, These compounds work
immediately and for some time after consumption. And they work in precisely
the places where the virus would likely be present.
Some of these compounds include the polyphenols contained in chocolate,
Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants and have broad-spectrum antimicrobial
activity.
But even when the researchers removed the polyphenols from the cocoa extract,
the remaining compounds in the extract were still effective
‘Those other active compounds in cacao include:
* the bitter component theobromine:
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+ lignin, a dietary fiber;
+ free fatty acids; and
+ minerals such as iron, copper, and zinc.
Chocolate does much more than fight the flu. In fact, chocolate has well over 40
health benefits and has been called the ultimate medicinal food.
Here are just a few of chocolate’s other amazing properties:
relieves stress and lowers blood pressure
better for heart health than statins
burns belly fat
lowers diabetes risk
When choosing chocolate instead of a flu shot, make sure your chocolate is:
1. At Least 70% Dark. The darker the chocolate the less sugar is added. And
sugar can be the difference between healthy chocolate and junk food.
2. Raw. The more cacao is processed, the more polyphenols and flavanols are
destroyed. So the best source of chocolate antioxidants comes from raw
unprocessed dark chocolate. In fact, raw cacao has the highest concentration of
antioxidants of any food,
2, Organic, Non-organic cocoa may contain residues of the dangerous
herbicide glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup), and other pesticides
used in conventional farming
3, Free Trade. Cacao crops are often unfairly traded.
References [i] Kamei M et al, “Anti-influenza virus effects of cocoa.” J Sci Food
Agric. 2015 Apr 2. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.7197. [Epub ahead of print]
hitps://wwwancbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25847473
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